The present disclosure relates generally to devices configured to have a nanowire formed laterally between two electrodes, and methods for forming the same.
Since the inception of semiconductor technology, a consistent trend has been toward the development of smaller device dimensions and higher device densities. As a result, nanotechnology has seen explosive growth and generated considerable interest. Nanotechnology is centered on the fabrication and application of nano-scale structures, or structures having dimensions that are often 50 to 100 times smaller than conventional semiconductor structures. Nanowires are included in the category of nano-scale structures.
Nanowires are wire-like structures having diameters on the order of about 1 nm to about 100 nm. Nanowires are suitable for use in a variety of applications, including functioning as conventional wires for interconnection applications or as semiconductor devices. While holding much promise, the practical application of nanowires has been somewhat limited. In particular, providing nanowires, especially laterally positioned nanowires, that can be fabricated in production quantities for a reasonable cost has proven difficult. This may be due, at least in part, to the difficulty involved in producing device platforms that allow for the self-assembly and integration of the nanowire. One difficulty that may be encountered in producing such device platforms is making good electrical contact (using electrodes, connections, or the like) to the nanowires in order to bring electrical signals into the nanowires. Another difficulty that may be encountered in producing such device platforms is forming electrodes having different conductivity types.
Techniques that include suspending nanowires in a solvent, dispersing them on a device platform, and making electrical contacts are generally slow and potentially unreliable processes.
Another potential problem with many nanowire integration techniques is that contamination may result from additional processing.